Gilt Sparrows - a Fifty Foal Challenge
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About a week after Pastelle was sold, Katie was waiting near the Sparrow's Piebald Unicorn training facility, looking for the van that was bringing in the new mares, when she spotted a very familiar-looking (equine)face. Going over to the little restroom building, she was delighted to see that she wasn't wrong; although there were grey hairs on her face it was Blue Moon, the second mare to bear a zorse foal to Electrum!
"Hello, sweet girl. It was Cognac with Champagne, then you and Harvest Moon." That was before she'd even met Bill. The mare seemed pleased to see her too, pressing her face against Katie's shirt. Her owner came out and chatted with Katie a bit before mounting up and riding home. Katie was so pleased to learn that the dear mare was doing well and now nearly a neighbor, she forgot about the new mares! She spotted a van pulling away and ran to the house. One mare was already being brushed out by Wren. "This must be Goldenrod." Wren grinned.
"The other one went over there, Mom." Katie looked and saw a striking mare galloping along the fence line. "Be careful, they said she was fisty. Fasty?"
"Feisty," said Katie, catching the look in the mare's eye. "Stay away from her for now, please. I don't want you getting bitten or kicked." The mare introduced herself to Adam peaceably enough, however.
Katie walked over, and sure enough, the mare held her peace just long enough to check her out, then -Snap! Katie rebuked her severely.
That temper would need to be dealt with, but right now she had to settle the mares into the prepared stalls and introduce them to Electrum. Everett saddled up Elation and took her out for a training run.
He had plans about the next mare, so he rode Elation down to the little gorge where the wild band often gathered. The mist was pretty thick in the hills. But there they were, including the literal lilac dun he had his eye on. He dismounted, turned Elation loose to mingle and settled in to watch the purple mare. It would take a long time to build enough trust to take her home, so he might as well start now.
Back at home, Electrum was none too pleased with Bonfire's manners. Goldenrod, however, was the epitome of equine graciousness.
Everett came home with Elation and took Bonfire out. Maybe tiring her out would reduce her interest in fighting. If not, she'd find it harder to get in a fight away from the other horses. He'd almost finished his scuba training, so he rode her to the gym. Once there he praised her good behavior under saddle and then tied her back behind the building where no one was likely to notice her.
Meanwhile Katie was working with Goldenrod, who was well broken to flat riding but knew nothing of jumps. Cavaletti time!
Night descended. The horses (except Elation) were bedded down and Katie and Wren went to bed too. The gnomes were amusing themselves in the yard. An elder gnome demonstrated his greatest golf shot, then performed a balancing trick, imitated by the youngest. Then most settled in for a nap.
Everett had taken a nap of his own after his swim - he'd gotten certification to scuba dive out in the bay - and gone back to the waterfall in the gorge. Elation finished training on the way out, and the local unicorn came to visit under the full moon. It was so peaceful a scene that he nearly nodded off while observing. He woke to find the purple dun mare only a few inches away, investigating the curly toes of his shoes.
"Hello, sweet girl. It was Cognac with Champagne, then you and Harvest Moon." That was before she'd even met Bill. The mare seemed pleased to see her too, pressing her face against Katie's shirt. Her owner came out and chatted with Katie a bit before mounting up and riding home. Katie was so pleased to learn that the dear mare was doing well and now nearly a neighbor, she forgot about the new mares! She spotted a van pulling away and ran to the house. One mare was already being brushed out by Wren. "This must be Goldenrod." Wren grinned.
"The other one went over there, Mom." Katie looked and saw a striking mare galloping along the fence line. "Be careful, they said she was fisty. Fasty?"
"Feisty," said Katie, catching the look in the mare's eye. "Stay away from her for now, please. I don't want you getting bitten or kicked." The mare introduced herself to Adam peaceably enough, however.
Katie walked over, and sure enough, the mare held her peace just long enough to check her out, then -Snap! Katie rebuked her severely.
That temper would need to be dealt with, but right now she had to settle the mares into the prepared stalls and introduce them to Electrum. Everett saddled up Elation and took her out for a training run.
He had plans about the next mare, so he rode Elation down to the little gorge where the wild band often gathered. The mist was pretty thick in the hills. But there they were, including the literal lilac dun he had his eye on. He dismounted, turned Elation loose to mingle and settled in to watch the purple mare. It would take a long time to build enough trust to take her home, so he might as well start now.
Back at home, Electrum was none too pleased with Bonfire's manners. Goldenrod, however, was the epitome of equine graciousness.
Everett came home with Elation and took Bonfire out. Maybe tiring her out would reduce her interest in fighting. If not, she'd find it harder to get in a fight away from the other horses. He'd almost finished his scuba training, so he rode her to the gym. Once there he praised her good behavior under saddle and then tied her back behind the building where no one was likely to notice her.
Meanwhile Katie was working with Goldenrod, who was well broken to flat riding but knew nothing of jumps. Cavaletti time!
Night descended. The horses (except Elation) were bedded down and Katie and Wren went to bed too. The gnomes were amusing themselves in the yard. An elder gnome demonstrated his greatest golf shot, then performed a balancing trick, imitated by the youngest. Then most settled in for a nap.
Everett had taken a nap of his own after his swim - he'd gotten certification to scuba dive out in the bay - and gone back to the waterfall in the gorge. Elation finished training on the way out, and the local unicorn came to visit under the full moon. It was so peaceful a scene that he nearly nodded off while observing. He woke to find the purple dun mare only a few inches away, investigating the curly toes of his shoes.
